Cortisol and testosterone have an important relationship inside the body. While cortisol is essential for energy mobilization and alertness during short-term stress, long-term elevated cortisol can interfere with the internal environment that supports natural testosterone production, motivation, vitality, and overall metabolic health.

Think of cortisol and testosterone like two ends of a seesaw. When stress levels rise and stay high, the body shifts its resources toward dealing with perceived threats. Over time, this can influence how energized, strong, and driven you feel.

The goal isn’t to eliminate cortisol, you need it. The real aim is balance, helping the body return to a relaxed, stable state after stress so it can maintain a healthy hormonal environment.

Below are 20 natural, research-supported ways to help the body manage everyday stress and promote more balanced cortisol levels.

1. Get Morning Sunlight

Natural light exposure early in the day supports the body’s circadian rhythm, which helps regulate cortisol’s daily rise-and-fall pattern, and can support better sleep patterns.

2. Prioritize Consistent Sleep

Even one night of poor sleep can influence cortisol. Regular sleep patterns help the body maintain hormonal rhythm and daytime energy.

3. Eat Breakfast Within an Hour of Waking

Skipping meals or going long hours without food increases stress hormones. A balanced breakfast helps signal safety and supports steady blood sugar.

4. Increase Your Carbohydrate Intake

Carbohydrates play a direct role in lowering the body’s stress response by supporting thyroid function and replenishing glycogen stores. Best sources include fruits, potatoes, white rice, and sourdough bread.

5. Strength Train (But Not to Exhaustion)

Moderate resistance training supports mood, resilience, and metabolic function. Overtraining, however, can elevate cortisol unnecessarily.

6. Reduce Excessive Endurance Exercise

Long-distance or high-duration cardio can raise cortisol for extended periods. Shorter, more explosive conditioning sessions are better on the system.

7. Add More Salt to Your Diet

Sodium supports adrenal function and healthy fluid balance. Low salt intake is associated with increased stress hormone output.

8. Increase Magnesium Intake

Magnesium supports muscle relaxation, nervous system balance, and restorative sleep, all key to regulating cortisol.

9. Get Enough Protein (Especially Glycine-Rich Sources)

Protein supports neurotransmitter production and blood sugar stability. Glycine, in particular, promotes calmness and sleep quality.

10. Practice Slow Nasal Breathing

Nasal breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the body’s “rest and restore” state, helping cortisol naturally decline.

11. Reduce Alcohol Intake

Alcohol disrupts sleep and increases stress hormones during the night and following day.

12. Avoid Late-Night Screen Exposure

Blue light delays melatonin production, keeping cortisol elevated later into the evening.

13. Spend More Time Outdoors

Natural environments reduce nervous system load and help recalibrate stress responses.

14. Limit Caffeine Intake

Caffeine increases cortisol temporarily. Lowering your dose or consuming it after breakfast reduces the stress response.

15. Do Light, Relaxed Walking

Easy walking lowers sympathetic nervous system activity and helps reduce stress buildup from work or training.

16. Keep Blood Sugar Stable Throughout the Day

Large gaps between meals can elevate cortisol. Eating balanced meals regularly helps prevent unnecessary stress signals.

17. Increase Vitamin C–Rich Foods

Vitamin C is used in the adrenal glands and supports healthy stress responses.

18. Reduce Chronic Caloric Restriction

Undereating is one of the fastest ways to chronically elevate cortisol. Consistent nourishment signals safety to the body.

19. Try Mindfulness or Grounding Practices

Deep breathing, journaling, and grounding exercises help shift the body toward a calmer baseline.

20. Support Your Nutrition With Stress-Balancing Supplements

Certain nutrients and botanicals such as B-vitamins, phosphatidylserine, ashwagandha, and magnesium are well researched for supporting balanced cortisol levels and healthy nervous system function.

Why Lower Cortisol Naturally?

Balanced cortisol supports:

• steady energy

• better sleep

• more stable mood

• improved motivation

• and a healthier endocrine environment

When cortisol is chronically elevated, the body often prioritizes survival over vitality. Reducing everyday stress inputs can help restore the internal conditions associated with natural testosterone support, stable moods, and a stronger sense of well-being.

A Natural Complement: Why Many People Use CortiGon

Many of the strategies above work even better when paired with nutrients that support the body’s stress response. UMZU’s CortiGon was designed with this in mind.

CortiGon includes a blend of ingredients traditionally used to support:

• a calm, balanced stress response

• healthy cortisol rhythm

• mental clarity and emotional steadiness

• and the internal environment involved in day-to-day resilience

With ingredients such as phosphatidylserine, ashwagandha extract, zinc, glycine, vitamin B6, and magnesium, CortiGon supports the nervous system and helps the body naturally shift out of a chronically stressed state.*

Many people find that adding CortiGon to their daily routine helps them feel more grounded, more focused, and more capable of handling stress, not by forcing a specific effect, but by supporting the underlying systems the body uses to maintain balance.

If you’re looking for a gentle, consistent, and research-informed way to support cortisol balance and overall well-being, CortiGon is a natural next step.